Seeing your team win always beats watching them lose. But somehow it's more satisfying to beat Man Utd than Fleetwood Town. And as blackbat points out, we were a competitive top half side for a number of years in the PL. I'm surprised eth has fallen for Allardyce's myth.

Dunno what you are on about. I quite clearly said that struggling to hang on to mid table sucked - in any league. I'd rather watch a team fighting to win a division lower. Obviously a team playing well in a higher league is great. But that wasn't what I said.

I have absolutely no idea what any of that has to do with Fat Sam either.

I quite clearly said that struggling to hang on to mid table sucked - in any league. I'd rather watch a team fighting to win a division lower. Obviously a team playing well in a higher league is great. But that wasn't what I said.

No, you didn't say "in any league". You said it's much more fun than watching games in the PL when all we played for was hanging on to mid-table. Here, just to jog your memory:

Seriously, much more fun as a fan than watching games in the PL when all you were playing for was to hang on to mid table.

Which is the kind of perspective Allardyce tried to put on our time in the top league. The reality was we were better than that for much of that period. Seriously, you're trying to make out now that rather than draw a comparison to our own history in the PL, you were simply saying being near the top of any league is better then being near the bottom? What's the point, was anyone in doubt?

Would you rather see us stay down year after year but remain a strong side in this division, than win back to back promotions but then have a year of struggling?

I quite clearly said that struggling to hang on to mid table sucked - in any league. I'd rather watch a team fighting to win a division lower. Obviously a team playing well in a higher league is great. But that wasn't what I said.

No, you didn't say "in any league". You said it's much more fun than watching games in the PL when all we played for was hanging on to mid-table. Here, just to jog your memory:

Seriously, much more fun as a fan than watching games in the PL when all you were playing for was to hang on to mid table.

Which is the kind of perspective Allardyce tried to put on our time in the top league. The reality was we were better than that for much of that period. Seriously, you're trying to make out now that rather than draw a comparison to our own history in the PL, you were simply saying being near the top of any league is better then being near the bottom? What's the point, was anyone in doubt?

Would you rather see us stay down year after year but remain a strong side in this division, than win back to back promotions but then have a year of struggling?

The hyphen there indicates I was expanding my comment. It doesn't change what I said, just makes it broader. I don't remember Sam suggesting that we should go down to give the fans some entertainment. He was absolutely responsible for the dross that was produced while we were there - and if we'd have gone down and produced better football as a result, I'd probably have liked him better. I'm not obsessed with which league we are in. Going up is great, even if it means you then struggle the following year. However, getting stuck being at the arse end of a table for years on end is not fun and the current financial constraints above us only make it harder to get out of that position. I'm glad we went down

No, Allardyce didn't suggest we should get relegated, he created the impression that the best we could do in the PL was struggle to hang on to mid-table... which you seem to be echoing. I'm not glad we went down, I'd rather we'd have recaptured the competitive edge that made us a top half PL side before BFS came along. Our current unbeaten run is enjoyable, but it's tempered by the fact dropping down to the third tier has been the lowest point in the 35 years I've been following this club. I'd rather we were aiming to improve ourselves than drop until the quality of opposition becomes easier to beat.

I'm not glad we went down, I'd rather we'd have recaptured the competitive edge that made us a top half PL side before BFS came along. Our current unbeaten run is enjoyable, but it's tempered by the fact dropping down to the third tier has been the lowest point in the 35 years I've been following this club. I'd rather we were aiming to improve ourselves than drop until the quality of opposition becomes easier to beat.

I think it's fair to say the team has always aimed to improve. The fact is that dropping down has helped to develop the team - we would not have been able to make the signings we have without doing so. As a result we are playing better football and have a chance to go up with an improved squad playing with confidence. And I'm actually enjoying watching the games for a change which is, after all, the point of football.

We were relegated by the tiniest possible margin.
I think that Mowbray and this season's excellent signings would not only have ensured survival in the Championship. but would have seen us comfortably midway.
Relegation has given us a much needed respite in the run of continual defeats, but it put another dent in the support. At least we've regained our self respect and given us something to shout about.

This would be great indeed. They would have to sell him in this transfer window or risk losing him in the summer for nothing. The alternative would be for boro to offer him a contract. They might try a offer him a short deal say twelve months but if i were Chapmans agent i would be using Rovers interest as a bargaining tool.
In other news a saw a report today linking former Rover Tom Cairney with a move to either West Brom or West Ham. 15 million the valuation. Ruben Rochina too maybe coming back to these shores with his Russian club said to be in financial difficulty. West Ham and Fulham mentioned.